And Onto Borrowed Time
by Jevvica
Summary: Kono and Chin catch up to the events of Episode 3.6 "I Ka Wa Mamua".


Author's Notes: Beware of spoilers for Episode 3.6 - "I Ka Wa Mamua". I own very little and nothing at all in connection with Hawaii 5-0.

_Step, step right over the line  
And onto borrowed time  
When it's life, not waiting to die  
Waiting to divide, to divide_ – "Borrowed Time", A Fine Frenzy

Kono threw the car into the park and made her way towards the cafe. The codes that had been coming over the radio were scary: 10-10. 'Ambulance needed'. 10-99. 'Bomb threat. 10-15. 'Officer needs help'.

Officer needs help. Danny and Steve were probably in the middle of all that "needing help". They usually were.

Kono moving through the crowd of onlookers, her cousin at her side. Ambulances were nearby, but the paramedics weren't moving. Something wasn't right.

"There's the Boss Man," said Kono, finally catching sight of McGarrett.

"He looks wrecked," murmured Chin with concern. As Kono's view was less hindered by the staring crowd, she realized how right Chin was. Something was definitely wrong. And then she realized who was missing.

"Where's Danny?" Kono asked Chin, fear seeping into her voice. She threw up the police tape and began running toward Steve. "Where's Danny?" she called out, trying not to look panicked as she scanned the scene for the blonde detective.

"He's okay, he's fine. He left to go get Grace for their dance," answered Steve. His words were calm, but Kono could not possibly miss how red his eyes were, how his hands shook. "He's okay, he's fine." Kono looked up at the Commander and wondered who he was trying to convince.

"What happened?" questioned Chin, his steady presence at her back.

"Farouk was wired with a bomb," muttered Steve, running a trembling hand over his face. "A proximity switch. Danny took Farouk out, but the proximity targeted him. We had to wait for the EOD to deactivate it before Danny could move away."

"Gods," breathed Kono. "But he's okay? Everything is disarmed?"

"Yeah," laughed Steve weakly. "He's okay..." McGarrett wavered slightly and broke off. Chin immediately put a hand on his arm.

"Come on, Steve, take a seat."

"I'm fine."

"Sure, but you can't fight biology. Adrenaline is wearing off. Now sit." The older man's voice was smooth, but left no room for argument. Kono met Chin's eyes and motioned toward the bomb techs. He nodded and turned his gaze back to Steve, who had sat down, but looked as begrudging as possible about it. Kono walked over to the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit who was working on dismantling and removing the parts of the bomb from Farouk's body.

"Hey guys, Officer Kono Kalakaua, 5-0. Are we all clear here?"

"Yeah, we just have to get it all packed up and then we'll release the scene," answered the dark skinned EOD officer.

"Can you tell me what happened with the bomb?" Kono didn't doubt Steve's telling of events, but she knew there were holes. Huge, abandonment issues-sized holes.

"Sure." The guy threw a glance over her shoulder at Steve, but didn't say anything.

"When Detective Williams got close to the suspect to check for vitals, he armed the proximity trigger. Which meant that if Detective Williams got any closer or further away, the bomb would detonate. There was...a fluctuation in the device, the proximity trigger was possibly not the only fail safe built into the device. There was the potential it would have gone off anyway." He stopped and glanced over Kono's shoulder again.

"Go on," said Kono quietly. "We need to know."

"Detective Williams asked Commander McGarrett to vacate the area," said the tech after a moment. "The Commander declined." Kono took a deep breath. The officer could not have been more professional in his phrasing and yet it could not have been more blindingly clear to Kono what kind of situation she and Chin had missed.

"Thank you," said Kono purposefully. "For saving my friends. Mahalo."

"You're welcome." Kono turned back to Steve and Chin.

As Kono moved off to speak with the bomb techs, Chin sat down next to Steve. He said nothing as he surveyed the tossed tables, scattered plates. He also noticed the sweat soaking McGarrett's shirt, the way his hands shook. He still said nothing.

"It was...close, Chin," mumbled Steve from where his head was between his knees.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. There was a fail safe...it was..." Steve took a deep breath and raised his head. Shining green eyes met Chin's. "He wanted me to leave." The commander's voice was nearly a whisper. "Wanted me to be safe, to take care of Grace..." When he didn't go on, Chin spoke just as softly.

"I think you are the only person in the world he would trust to do that for him." Steve grimaced and ran his hands over his hair roughly.

"I'm getting soft. Being on the islands, being home...I'm getting soft. This never would have gotten to me like this a couple of years ago."

"Steve." Chin waited until Steve met Chin's gaze. "Do you honestly believe you were a better man then? A stronger man?" The muscle that clenched in Steve's jaw was all the answer Chin needed. "You aren't soft. You have ohana now. And that is never weakness." Steve looked into Chin's eyes for a long moment before he nodded. They both looked up as Kono walked over.

"Get everything you needed?" asked Steve, his voice strong again.

"Yup," answered Kono. "Let's wrap this mess up and get out of here, huh? I think we need some grilling and some beers."

"Look at you," laughed Chin as he stood up. "All take charge and demanding all of a sudden. Steve is rubbing off on you."

"Don't say that! Danny will never let me hear there the end of it..."

"Please, please tell me one of those beers is for me," called Danny as he walked over the sand toward the fire crackling on the McGarrett beach.

"As many as you want, brah," said Kono breathlessly as she launched herself into Danny's arms.

"I'm okay," whispered Danny as he let her go.

"Promise?" she asked him with wide, young eyes.

"Get me a beer and I promise," he laughed. He patted Chin's shoulder, took a seat next to Steve, and accepted the beer Kono handed him. It hadn't turned out to be such a bad day after all.


End file.
